Self-Extinguishing Candle

ABSTRACT

A self-extinguishing candle is provided which, in a preferred configuration, comprises a candle having a wick with a series of alternating combustion and non-combustion zones. In use, the wick will burn through the combustion zone, and will be extinguished on reaching the non-combustion zone. The non-combustion zone is preferably provided by a physical or chemical means, and the candle can be re-lit by removal of the non-combustion means. A safer candle is provided that will self-extinguish on a regular basis.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/165,512, filed Jun. 24, 2005, the entirety ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of candles, and inparticular, relates to a candle which is capable of extinguishing itselfautomatically.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Candles have been known for centuries and typically comprise a wicksurrounded by a solid core of a combustible material which acts as afuel. On heating by the flame of the candle, the combustible material inthe area surrounding the burning wick is liquified so as to providefluid material to the wick in order to support combustion. As the fuelis consumed, a portion of the wick is burnt so that the wick heightabove the candle remains relatively constant as the candle burns.

Since the use of a candle requires an open flame, safety precautions arerequired in order that the burning flame is monitored. However,frequently, a candle is lit and then left unsupervised for hours untilthe solid fuel is consumed, or until the user remembers to attend to thecandle.

This not only wastes the candle fuel, but can cause several obvioussafety hazards.

Various attempts have been made to provide mechanisms to automaticallyextinguish candles that have been left unattended. Mechanical devicesare known which are attached to the candle. These are commonly springbiased and act to move an arm or cover in place to extinguish the candleonce the candle has burned to a selected level. An example of this typeof candle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 312291. Numerous modifications tothis type of device have been described and claimed, including, forexample the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,365 in which adigital timer is utilized to close a candle housing after a selectedperiod of time in order to extinguish the candle contained therein.

These devices, however, all require the candle to be connected to themechanical device and/or require various timers to be set andmaintained. This detracts from the aesthetic appearances of a candle,and can be limited in utility if, for example a larger candle is usedthan that for which the timer mechanism is designed.

Also, the predictability of the time until extinguishment can bevariable depending on the nature of the device. For example, the natureof the solid fuel, the diameter of the candle, and even the compositionof the wick material itself can affect the burn rate of a candle and canmake estimation of the candle burn time difficult.

In GB 1405705, a candle is provided wherein a series of extinguishingagents is trapped within the solid fuel material, in the vicinity of thewick. In use, the candle will burn to the point where the extinguishingmaterial, such as, for example, water, is released from the solid fuelmaterial, in order to snuff out the candle. While this approach providesa candle with a controllable self-extinguishing feature that does notrequire the use of outside mechanical devices, its production can bedifficult in order to provide a series of zones within the solidmaterial that contain the extinguishing material.

It is noted that in a preferred option, the extinguishing material ishoused within a series of ampoules which are attached to the wick priorto formation of the candle by pouring in the molten solid fuel material.

However, this approach requires that the ampoule remain intact andconnected in the correct location adjacent to the wick. Also, care mustbe taken to avoid premature release of the extinguishing material ontothe wick during production and/or use in order to avoid operationaldifficulties in using the candle.

As such, while this approach provides some advantages over themechanical devices, it would be desirable to provide furtherimprovements therein.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a self-extinguishingcandle which avoided the use of external mechanical devices, and whichavoided the use of ampoules of extinguishing materials which are to belocated in the solid fuel material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a principal advantage of the present invention toprovide a self-extinguishing candle which avoids the use of externalmechanical devices.

It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide aself-extinguishing candle which is free from having zones ofextinguishing agent located within the solid fuel component of thecandle.

It is a still further advantage of the present invention to provide aself-extinguishing candle which is easily and rapidly produced usingconventional equipment and current candle-making techniques.

The advantages set out hereinabove, as well as other objects and goalsinherent thereto, are at least partially or fully provided by theself-extinguishing candle of the present invention, as set out hereinbelow.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides aself-extinguishing candle comprising a wick, and a fuel material whichsurrounds said wick, characterized in that said candle has at least twoseparate combustion zones separated by a non-combustion zone whereinsaid candle is extinguished, and wherein said non-combustion zones isprovided by a non-combustion zone within said wick, or by termination ofsaid wick within said candle.

In a preferred embodiment, the wick includes the non-combustion zone.According, the present invention also provides a self-extinguishingcandle, as hereinabove described, wherein said wick has at least twoseparate combustion zones along its length, and said combustion zones onsaid wick are separated by a non-combustion zone on said wick.

As a result, the candle can burn the wick in a first combustion zone,but on reaching the non-combustion zone, the candle is extinguished.However, the candle can be re-lit by removing the non-combustion zone ofthe wick, or byre-lighting the wick at a point beyond the non-combustionzone. Preferably, the wick has a plurality of combustion andnon-combustion zones.

In a further aspect, the present invention also provides a candle wickof use in the practice of the present invention comprising an elongatedcombustible wick suitable for use in a candle, wherein said wick has twoor more combustion zones, and one or more non-combustion zones locatedalong its length.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the present application, the term “candle” refers primarily to commoncandles which have a wick surrounded by a solid fuel material. Thepresent application is thus primarily directed to the use of these typesof candles. However, the skilled artisan will be aware that non-solidmaterials might also be used, such as in the case of “gel” candles orthe like, provided that consumption of the wick occurs as the candleburns. Accordingly, while the present application is described withparticular reference to the traditional solid candle industry, theskilled artisan would be aware that the present application is equallyapplicable in other non-traditional applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of exampleonly in association with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is a cutaway perspective view of the side of a pillar candleaccording to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a corresponding viewof a tapered candle;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the wick of the candles of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are side views of two alternative wick designs;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a further alternative wick according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a still further alternative wick;

FIG. 6 is a side view of another alternative wick;

FIG. 7 is a side view of another alternative wick;

FIG. 8 is a cutaway perspective view of a candle utilizing a wick of thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is cutaway perspective view of a further candle; and

FIG. 10 is a side view of another alternative wick design.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of thepresent invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method ofoperation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, willbe better understood from the following drawings in which a presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated by way ofexample only. In the drawings, like reference numerals depict likeelements.

It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for thepurpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as adefinition of the limits of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1A a “pillar” candle 10 is shown in a partial cutawayperspective side view comprising a solid fuel material 12 surrounding acentral wick 14 which extends essentially completely through fuelmaterial 12 and has an exposed end 16 which extends above the candle. Atthe top of candle 10 is an area of liquified fuel material 20 whichforms continuously as solid fuel material 12 melts from the heat offlame 22 at the exposed end 16 of wick 14.

Dispersed at regular intervals along the length of wick 14 are a seriesof non-combustion zones 18 which will not support combustion. As such,as candle 10 burns and consumes solid fuel material 12, non-combustionzone 18 is slowly exposed. When a sufficient amount of non-combustionzone 18 is exposed, either through a physical or chemical method, thenewly exposed non-combustible end 16 of wick 14 prevents candle 10 fromburning past each non-combustion zone 18.

In the present application, the non-combustion zone is provided by aphysical method wherein the weave density of the wick is increased atregular intervals to provide a wick with higher density zones 30 andlower density zones 32, as shown in FIG. 2. Higher density zones 30 aresuch that the wick capillary action is restricted so that the wick isprevented from conducting sufficient fuel to the end of the wick, as aresult of the higher density zone.

Creation of the higher density zones 30, which forms non-combustion zone18, can be accomplished by twisting the braided wick in the higherdensity zone to compress the wick materials closer together, and thusrestrict the capillary movement of the liquified wax along the wick. Inthis higher density zone 30, the density of the wick material is therebyincreased by tightening the weave of the wick, and thereby preventingtransportation of the liquified fuel material to the exposed end 16, andthus to flame 22.

It is noted, however, that some liquified fuel may be able to passthrough the higher density zone 30, but this amount of fuel will berestricted to the point where the candle flame 22 will ultimately beextinguished.

To re-light the candle, the higher density section of the wick can becut off to expose the lower density wick material, or the higher densitysection can be partially unraveled to lower the density of the wick inthat area. To assist the user, the higher and lower density portions canbe identified by, for example, colour coding or the like so the userwill know which part of the wick to remove before attempting to re-lightthe candle.

In general, the wick can be, and is preferably colour coded to visuallyidentify the combustion and/or non-combustion zones

Candle 10, as shown in FIG. 1A is a cylindrical pillar candle. However,any candle shape or size can be used in the practice of the presentinvention. This includes, tapered candles 11, as shown in FIG. 1B, orcandles having any desired geometric shapes, including candles whichhave been sculptured in appearance.

Candle 10 can also comprise any of a variety of known candle-makingaccessories. In the example shown in FIG. 1A, candle 10 has a wick tab24, shown at the base of candle 10, which is used during candleproduction to hold the terminal end of the wick in place at the bottomof a container or mould when the container is being filled withliquified solid fuel. Wick tabs 24 can provide a short stem 26 throughwhich the wick is inserted, which extends up into the candle. The stemand/or the tab can prevent the wax from reaching the wick at the bottomof the candle, and thus, assist in preventing a candle from burningcompletely down to the bottom of the wick, and thus burning down andthrough the bottom of the candle.

Burning through the bottom of the candle is to be avoided in order tominimize the potential release of heated, liquified material through ahole created in the candle bottom, or to prevent a “flash-over” of ashallow collection of hot liquified solid material. As such, it is knownto provide devices at the bottom of the wick for self-extinguishing thecandle flame at the bottom of the candle.

Additionally, candle 10 includes a wick crimp 28, which are often usedin combination with a wick tab 24, in order to further assist inpreventing the candle from burning past a certain selected point. Wickcrimps are usually made from metal or glass and are placed or crimpedaround the wick at the desired location. These devices can be located onany point on the wick, such as for example, if the candle were formedabove a decorative sand base in the bottom of a container, and it wasdesired to prevent the candle from burning down to the level of thesand.

However, it is to be noted that wick crimps and/or wick tabs are onlyused to prevent the candle from burning past a particular point on thewick. As such, once a candle has reached the wick crimp and/or the wicktab, it is intended that the candle not be re-lit. As such, the priorart wick tabs and/or wick crimps are effectively located at the terminalend of the prior art wicks.

The candles of the present invention can be tapered or straight-sided,and can be free standing, or contained with housings such as glass,ceramic, plastic or metal housings. The candles might also be designedfor specialized functions such as, for example, scented candles,birthday candles, wedding candles, pillar candles, votive candles,floating candles, or the like.

Any number of non-combustion zones can be provided on wick 14. Thenumber can vary depending on the desired time between eachself-extinguishing event, and will be dependent on the size of thecandle, the candle solid fuel composition, the wick size, the wickmaterial and composition, and the like. However, the skilled artisanwould be able to determine the burn rate of a particular candle, andthen determine the number of non-combustion zones to be provided inorder to provide a candle that would self-extinguish at a desired rate.For example, if a candle were to normally burn for a total of 8 hours,three non-combustion zones spaced essentially equally from the top ofthe candle to the top of crimp 28, would provide a candle with fourcombustion zones, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which would self-extinguishitself on a 2 hour interval.

It is noted that crimp 28, in combination with tab stem 26 would providethe final self-extinguishing event.

While the number of combustion zones can vary depending on the designparameters of the candle, preferably, the number of combustion zones ina candle, and also preferably on a single wick would be at least 2, andmore preferably, at least 3. Even more preferably, the number ofcombustion zones in a candle, or on a single wick, will be between 2 and10, and more preferably between 3 and 6.

The candles of the present invention can be made from any suitable fuelmaterial including traditional solid fuel materials such as petroleumbased waxes including, for example, paraffin waxes. Also, the solid fuelmaterial can be made from animal-based fats such as tallow and the like,or made from traditional materials such as beeswax, soy wax, or anyother suitable waxes. Further, the candles might be made fromhydrogenated vegetable-based materials. Additionally, the fuel material12 can be a combination of these materials.

The candles might also be made from non-traditional materials such asgel candles, which have a semi-solid material which is contained withina solid body such as a glass housing.

In a candle, the wick works by capillary action. Cotton fibers, oralternatively paper or some other types of fibres, are spun intothreads, which are bundled and braided together. The spaces between thefibers, the threads, and braids act as capillaries, which cause liquidsto be drawn into them. This capillary action causes the melted andliquified solid fuel in the vicinity of the flame to be drawn up throughthe wick where it is heated to a point where it vapourizes and is burntin the candle flame.

Candle wicks, or wicking, is available in several types or styles,including flat or circular wicking. Different sized wicks causedifferent sized flames simply because of the number of threads in thebundles. Each thread is considered a plait or ply, and a given number ofply are bundled together. For example, a 36 ply wick could contain 3bundles of 12 ply material. A 36 ply wick would typically draw more waxthan a 30 ply wick can, which would result in the 36 ply wick providinga larger flame. In turn, the larger flame produces a slightly largermelt pool. However, design and selection of aproper size and type ofwicking is a skill known to those skilled in the art.

The wick can also contain a solid core material, such as zinc or lead,which is provided to give the wick some rigidity, particularly insituations where a soft solid fuel is used, and/or when a relativelylarge amount of liquified fuel is encountered.

In a pillar-type of candle, the exterior portion of the candle isconsumed more slowly than the interior portions, and thus, a hollow wellof pooled, melted fuel is typically found located within an outer shellof unmelted fuel. In practice, it has been found that the wick of apillar type candle burns to the point where the non-combustible portionis, or is almost completely exposed before the candle is extinguished.Thus, the next combustible portion of the candle wick is, or is almostexposed, which facilitates the removal of the non-combustible zone ofthe wick to gain access to the next combustible zone.

Other methods for providing the non-combustion zone on the wick can beprovided, and some of these are exemplified in FIGS. 3 to 5.

In FIG. 3A, wick 34 has a tab 24, with stem 26, and crimp 28, and hasthree non-combustion zones provided by metal clips 36 which are crimpedaround sections of wick 34 so as to essentially prevent the liquifiedsolid material from passing along wick 34.

Metal clips 36 could be replaced by ceramic or glass clips, or byplastic clips (provided the plastic clips were not flammable), or byclips made of any other suitable non-flammable, crimpable material.

After the candle has be extinguished, the exposed metal clip can beremoved, and the candle re-lit.

In FIG. 3B, wick 34B has three metal clips 36B which are smaller in sizethan those shown in FIG. 3A. When compressed around wick 34B, clips 36Bprovide a reduction in the cross-sectional area of wick 34B in the areaof clips 36B. As a result, wick 34B can, in some applications, be movedwithin the candle without damaging the candle structure. This can bebeneficial in the practice of the present invention.

For example, wick 34B can be pulled upwards to expose additional wickmaterial provided that the wick is not bonded to the wax fuel of thecandle but instead, contained within a channel in the candle andtherefore free to slide up within that channel, and thereby expose a newarea of wick for combustion. Alternatively, the fuel-to-wick bond maynot be particularly great and therefore will also allow relatively easymovement of the wick within the candle without any damage resulting tothe candle. This movement facilitates removal of the clip 36B when itreaches the top of the candle, and also facilitates the exposure of thenext combustion zone on wick 34B. This is of particular interest in apillar candle wherein in is desirable to move the wick material from thepossibly resolidified pool of melted fuel material.

In a tapered candle, this is less important since the melted fuel tendsto run away from the wick rather than forming a pool in the immediatearea of the wick.

In FIG. 8, pillar candle 10B is shown having a wick as described in FIG.3B. When the uppermost clip 36B is exposed, candle 10B will beextinguished. At that time, the user can grab exposed clip 36B andgently pull on wick 34B to move wick 34B within the candle, and thusexpose additional wick material. Uppermost clip 36B can then be cut fromwick 34B, and wick 34B can be re-lit.

This technique will require additional wick material. Since more wickmaterial is to be exposed, a surplus of wick material 34B, or a wickreservoir, is preferably provided in candle 10B. For example, in FIG. 8,the wick reservoir is provided by a coil 37 of wick material which isprovided at (or near) the bottom of candle 10B. When additional wickmaterial is moved into position by pulling up on wick 34B, it issupplied from the wick material 34B stored in coil 37.

This option is of particular use in pillar candles where space isavailable for wick coil 37.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9, a wick 34C can be provided which hasa small Z-shaped bend 38 under clip 36B which provides a smaller, localwick reservoir that acts as the source of extra wick material to bepulled into position after clip 36B has led to the extinguishing of thecandle. Bend 38 can be provided by bending wick 34C during wickproduction, and can be maintained in that shape by use of a small wirewithin wick 34C, or by use a fastener such as string, glue, or a drop ofwax material, that is sufficient to hold the bent shape of bend 38during candle production but will be released when wick 34C is pulled.

In this case, each Z-shaped bend 38 each acts as a local wick reservoir37B in the immediate area of clip 36B. Other methods to provide a wickreservoir can include, for example, over-braiding of the wick materialso that a telescopic internal section of wick material can be releasedfrom an over-braided section, and thus, effectively increase the usablelength of wick material.

In FIG. 4, wick 48 is shown having 4 combustion zones 47 which arephysically separated from one another, but are held together by a thinfibre 45 which runs through each combustion zone 47 of wick 48. In use,the first combustion zone 47 would be ignited and would burn to the end.Fibre 45 is either non-flammable, or more preferably is merely incapableof providing sufficient capillary action for transportation of liquifiedfuel to the candle flame. As such, the candle will self-extinguish whenit reaches the end of each combustion zone 47.

The distance between any two combustion zones 47 of wick 48 is selectedso that the wick will extinguish without igniting the next lowercombustion zone 47. The user can then remove sufficient fuel to exposethe next combustion zone 47, if necessary.

Typically, though, in a pillar candle, as the first combustion zone isextinguished, it will commonly create an indented section of fuel in thevicinity of the wick. In a preferred feature, the next combustion zone47 of wick 48 will protrude into this indentation.

As such, while the exact distance between combustion zones 47 will varydepending on candle design features, the distance is preferably lessthan 2 cm, and more preferably less than 1 cm.

In FIG. 5, wick 44 has three non-combustion zones 46 which have beencreated using a chemical means. In this embodiment, a bromine containingflame retardant material, that has been applied at the non-combustionzones 46 in order to provide a flame retardant that is released once theflame reaches zone 46. Any suitable flame retardant can be used providedthat sufficient material is provided to cause the flame to beextinguished. The flame retardant could be any of a number of differenttypes of flame retardants.

For example, halogenated flame retardants, including compounds thatcontain, and release on combustion, fluorine, chlorine, or, inparticular, bromine atoms. Different bromine containing flame retardantsare known in the art, that have bromine atoms bound into differentorganic molecules. These materials offer different properties, in termsof how the bromine is bound into the flame retardant molecule(aliphatically, aromatically), and of how the flame retardant moleculeinteracts with the different materials. Different specific brominatedcompounds can thus be added to or chemically bound into these differentmaterials without deteriorating their properties (flexibility,durability, colour and the like).

Additives such as antimony trioxide can be included to provide asynergistic effect with the halogentated flame retardants.

Phosphorus flame retardants might also be used, which act by generationof phosphoric acid, and thus inhibit the pyrolysis process. These caninclude, for example, elemental red phosphorus (P), which is oxidised tophosphoric acid with heat, through to complex P-containing organicmolecules offering specific performance properties.

Nitrogen based flame retardants that release nitrogen when burned,including melamine-based materials.

Also, intumescent coatings might be applied to the wick.

Further, a wide range of materials might be used including inorganicflame retardants such as aluminium trihydrate, magnesium hydroxide,boron compounds, zinc borate, or the like.

In FIG. 6, an alternative design is shown in cross-section having acandle 50 having two wicks 52. Each wick 52 is identical and hasalternating combustion 54 and non-combustion 56 zones. However, thewicks are positioned in an off-set fashion so that essentially only onewick has a non-combustion zone exposed at any given time.

The user would light the wick having a combustion zone 54 showing, andcandle 50 would burn until that wick reached non-combustion zone 56. Atthat point, the candle would be extinguished, and the user, would thenremove the exposed, un-burnt, non-combustion zone 56 of the other wick,and then light its combustion zone 54. It would be preferred that thewicks be designed and located close enough to each other to provide acommon pool of liquified solid material that would envelop and reacheach wick when only one wick was lit. However, the wicks must be locateda sufficient distance from each other so as to not allow the flame fromone wick to be passed to the other when the combustion zone 54 of thesecond wick is exposed.

Using this principle, candles with additional wicks, such as candleswith three or four wicks, might be manufactured.

In FIG. 7, a further embodiment of a candle 60 is shown wherein a seriesof small candle precursors 62 are prepared each of which has a fuelsection 64 and a wick section 66. In production, preformed candleprecursors 62 are stacked one on top of another, and fitted within acontainer, and liquified fuel 68 is poured in to the container where itsolidifies to form candle 60. In a preferred embodiment, fuel 68 is thesame as fuel 64 so that it blends with fuel 64. However, it must not beheated to a sufficient temperature to cause candle precursors 62 to meltto a sufficient point that wicks 66 are allowed to appreciably move.

In this embodiment, wick 66 is centered within each precursor 62 and theprecursors are positioned in a staggered configuration. Alternatively,wick 66 might be located in an off-centre position in each precursor 62.Precursors 62 could then be positioned directly on top of each otherwith wicks 66 arranged in different, non-linear positions

In operation, each wick 66 will burn to the end of the wick in thesection defined by a precursor 62 so that its combustion is terminated,and candle 60 will be extinguish. The user can then re-light candle 60using the wick 66 in the next precursor 62 section.

Additionally, combinations of the techniques described herein might beused. For example, two wicks of the type described in FIG. 4 might beused in combination in a single candle in a fashion similar to thatshown in FIG. 6. In this situation, the distance between wick combustionzones on a first wick would approximately equal the length of thecombustion zone on the second wick. As such, the length of thenon-combustible fibre would be approximately equal to the length of theadjacent combustion zone.

Further, this type of arrangement might be also be provided using usinga “ladder”-shaped wick 70, as shown in FIG. 10, having a series ofalternating combustion zones 72 on different sides of the wick ladder,with essentially non-combustion supporting fibres 74 forming theremainder of the wick ladder.

Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance withthe present invention, a self-extinguishing candle which fully satisfiesthe goals, objects, and advantages set forth hereinbefore. Therefore,having described specific embodiments of the present invention, it willbe understood that alternatives, modifications and variations thereofmay be suggested to those skilled in the art, and that it is intendedthat the present specification embrace all such alternatives,modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Additionally, for clarity and unless otherwise stated, the word“comprise” and variations of the word such as “comprising” and“comprises”, when used in the description and claims of the presentspecification, is not intended to exclude other additives, components,integers or steps.

Moreover, the words “substantially” or “essentially”, when used with anadjective or adverb is intended to enhance the scope of the particularcharacteristic; e.g., substantially planar is intended to mean planar,nearly planar and/or exhibiting characteristics associated with a planarelement

Also, while this discussion has addressed prior art known to theinventor, it is not an admission that all art discussed is citableagainst the present application.

1. A self-extinguishing candle comprising a wick, and a fuel materialwhich surrounds said wick, characterized in that said candle comprisesat least two separate combustion zones and a non-combustion zoneseparating said combustion zones wherein said candle is extinguished,and wherein said non-combustion zone is provided either by a wicknon-combustion zone which is located either within or on said wick, orby termination of said wick within a combustion zone in said candle. 2.A self-extinguishing candle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wick hasat least two separate combustion zones along its length, and saidcombustion zones on said wick are separated by a non-combustion zone onsaid wick.
 3. A self-extinguishing candle as claimed in claim 1 whereinthe number of combustion zones on said wick is between 2 and
 10. 4. Aself-extinguishing candle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fuelmaterial is a solid fuel selected from the group consisting of petroleumbased waxes, animal-based fats, wax or hydrogenated vegetable-basedmaterials.
 5. A self-extinguishing candle as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid non-combustion zone is provided by a physical method.
 6. Aself-extinguishing candle as claimed in claim 5 wherein said wick isfabricated from a braided material and said combustion zone of said wickis provided by a relatively lower density zone, and said non-combustionzone of said wick is provided by a relatively higher density zone, andwherein, and said relatively higher density zone of said wick isprovided by twisting said braided material to compress the braidedmaterial and increase the density of said wick.
 7. A self-extinguishingcandle as claimed in claim 5 wherein said non-combustion zone isprovided by one or more clips made of metal, ceramic, glass,non-flammable plastic, or a non-flammable crimpable material, which arecrimped around sections of said wick.
 8. A self-extinguishing candle asclaimed in claim 7 wherein said clips provide a reduction in thecross-sectional area of said wick.
 9. A self-extinguishing candle asclaimed in claim 7 wherein said wick is movable in said candle, and saidcandle is provided with a wick reservoir which provides additional wickmaterial.
 10. A self-extinguishing candle as claimed in claim 9 whereinsaid wick reservoir is provided by a coil of wick material located at ornear the bottom of said candle.
 11. A self-extinguishing candle asclaimed in claim 9 wherein said wick reservoir is provided by a bend insaid wick below each non-combustion zone.
 12. A self-extinguishingcandle as claimed in claim 5 wherein said non-combustion zone isprovided by a wick having a series of combustion zones, and wherein saidcombustion zones are separated by a non-combustion zone comprising athin fibre which is non-combustible, or which has insufficient capillaryaction to support combustion.
 13. A self-extinguishing candle as claimedin claim 1 wherein said non-combustion zone is provided by a flameretardant material which has been applied to said wick in saidnon-combustion zone, and said flame retardant material is a halogenatedflame retardant, a phosphorus-based flame retardant, a nitrogen basedflame retardant, or a inorganic flame retardant.
 14. Aself-extinguishing candle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said candlecomprises two or more wicks which wicks have a plurality of combustionand non-combustion zones, and said wicks are positioned so that, in use,the non-combustion zone on a first wick is horizontally adjacent to thecombustion zone of a second wick.
 15. A candle wick comprising anelongated wick suitable for use in a candle, wherein said wick has twoor more combustion zones separated by one or more non-combustion zoneslocated along its length.
 16. A candle wick as claimed in claim 15wherein said non-combustion zone is provided by a physical method.
 17. Acandle wick as claimed in claim 15 wherein said wick is fabricated froma braided material and said combustion zone of said wick is provided bya relatively lower density zone, and said non-combustion zone of saidwick is provided by a relatively higher density zone, and wherein, andsaid relatively higher density zone of said wick is provided by twistingsaid braided material to compress the braided material and increase thedensity of said wick.
 18. A candle wick as claimed in claim 16 whereinsaid non-combustion zone is provided by one or more clips made of metal,ceramic, glass, non-flammable plastic, or a non-flammable crimpablematerial which are crimped around sections of said wick.
 19. A candlewick as claimed in claim 15 wherein said non-combustion zone is providedby a chemical means.
 20. A candle wick as claimed in claim 19 whereinsaid non-combustion zone is provided by a flame retardant material whichhas been applied to said wick in said non-combustion zone and said flameretardant material is a halogenated flame retardant, a phosphorus-basedflame retardant, a nitrogen based flame retardant, or a inorganic flameretardant.
 21. A candle wick as claimed in claim 15 wherein said wick iscolour coded to visually identify said combustion and/or non-combustionzones.